Multilayer ceramic electronic component and fabrication method thereof

Abstract

There are provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component comprising: a ceramic main body including a dielectric layer and having first and second main faces, third and fourth side faces opposed in a length direction, and fifth and sixth faces opposed in a width direction; first and second internal electrodes; and one or more first external electrodes formed on the fifth face and one or more second external electrodes formed on the sixth face, wherein the first and second external electrodes have an average thickness ranging from 3 μm to 30 μm, and when at least one of the first and second external electrodes is divided into three equal parts in a thickness direction, an area of glass in central area portions thereof is 35% to 80% of the total areas of the central area portions.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0126594 filed on Nov. 30, 2011, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a multilayer ceramic electronic component having improved reliability through enhanced chip air-tightness.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Recently, as electronic products have been reduced in size, a multilayer ceramic electronic component has also required to be reduced in size, yet have a large capacity.[0006]In line with the requirements for a multilayer ceramic electronic component to have small size and large capacity, an external electrode of the multilayer ceramic electronic component has also become thinner.[0007]An external electrode paste may have a conductive metal such as copper (Cu) as a main material thereo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a way to make electronic components made of ceramic that are more reliable and have better air tightness. This improves their performance and makes them more durable.

Problems solved by technology

However, in the case that the content of glass in the external electrode paste is insufficient, chip air-tightness may be defective.

If excessive glass is added to compensate for this defect, the glass may be eluted (or extracted) from the surface to result in defective plating properties.

In particular, as the external electrode has become thinner, it has become difficult to implement a desired level of compactness (or denseness) therein, and the possibility of a defective product may be increased due to a shortage or excess of glass in terms of the high temperature behavior characteristics thereof.

In addition, in the case of a small multilayer ceramic electronic component of which an external electrode applied thereto is thin, since the thickness of the external electrode in a corner portion may be excessively reduced, corner coverage may deteriorate, allowing a plating solution to infiltrate thereinto.

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